Mike Ableson, Author at BLADE Magazine

5 Best Pocketknife Options For EDC [2022]

-

July 5, 2022

Looking for the best pocketknife for your EDC needs? These five are certainly top options to get you well equipped.

The pocketknife stands alone when it comes to edged tools. Whether it’s outdoors, in the shop, in the kitchen or elsewhere, the number of uses for the pocketknife are seemingly endless.

And just as endless is the variety of pocketknives available today. With dozens of blade types made of dozens of steels with dozens of functions, it’s a deluge of knives that can be hard to parse through.

Types Of Pocketknives

While there are thousands of different individual pocketknives out there, the vast majority fall into two categories: the single blade and the multi-blade.

The single-blade pocketknife is exactly that: a knife with one blade. We’ll get to the types of blades shortly. While a single-blade piece could be a small fixed blade with a pocket-sized sheath, usually it’s a folding knife. The folding versions are especially good as EDCs.

The multi-blade knife will usually feature two or three blades—some more—across many different styles. A good chunk of these models are slip joints, which use a spring that helps either keep the blade tucked away or open.

There are many different types of slip-joint multi-blades. The Boker Trapper Red Bone is a prime example of a high-quality multi-blade knife.

When it comes to a multi-tool type of multi-blade, think of Swiss Army knives. These are pocket-sized tools that feature an assortment of tools ranging from blades and screwdrivers to toothpicks, pliers, corkscrews and more.

Types Of Pocketknife Blades

The Microtech Scarab II’s drop-point blade accommodates most cutting tasks with gusto. — The Microtech Scarab II’s modified drop-point blade accommodates most cutting tasks with gusto.

The first pocketknives date as far back as 600 BCE in Europe, and folding knives have been found that date from pre-Roman times.

In the millennia since, the pocketknife has morphed and evolved in myriad ways. Today there are dozens of different types of pocketknives. Some are great for EDC use while others are more specialized.

While the styles of blades are all a bit different, these are three of the most common types.

Drop Point

A common blade style for a pocketknife, the drop point curves up from the edge to the point. Popularized by BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame® member Bob Loveless for fixed-blade hunting knives, it is a great style for hunters and for slicing, and ideal for all-around EDC as well. The point is good for piercing and the edge, being good for hunting, is more than capable of doing things throughout your day like opening envelopes, slicing rope, or even cutting vegetables in a pinch. The GiantMouse Ace Corta is an example of a modified drop point.

Clip Point

The clip point swoops down from the spine to the point of blade. Since it looks like the forward part of the blade was “clipped” off, the name clip point stuck. The spine is usually unsharpened, and the clip point has a narrower tip than a drop point. The clip point is seen on many bowie knives.

An example of a clip point on an EDC knife would be the SOG Recondo FX.

Spear Point

The spear point is the style of the main blade of many Swiss Army knives. A great puncture instrument, a blade with a spear point is ideal for penetration. Many daggers and swords are ground to a spear point.

Five Premier Pocketknives

We scoured the world of knives to pick out five of outstanding pocketknives available today. Across different styles, companies and price points, these five stood out from the pack.

Swiss Army Knife Huntsman

One could argue that the Swiss Army knife is the gold standard of pocketknives. This classic multi-blade from Victorinox has stood the test of time and now comes in dozens of varieties.

The Huntsman was selected because of its tool set. There are 15 different implements within the knife, including classics like the spear-point blade, reamer and can opener, as well as a wood saw, tweezers, scissors and wire stripper, among others.

All the tools, like with other Swiss Army knives, are made from stainless steel. Having at least one SAK in your tool drawer or travel bag is an absolute must, and you can’t go wrong with the Huntsman.

MSRP: $37.99

Opinel #8 Carbon Steel Folding Knife

By any measure, the Opinel #8 is a classic. First made in 1890, the #8 is still popular today due to its simplicity. It features a 3.28-inch blade of XC90 carbon steel. It’s robust yet delicate. The single blade is fine enough for an artisan or craftsman and tough enough to handle hard use in the kitchen or workshop.

In an era when EDC knives are becoming more complex and packed with features, Opinel sticks to its roots with a piece that is often imitated but rarely replicated.

MSRP: $18.

Benchmade Bugout

Coming in numerous different colors and styles, the Benchmade Bugout is one cool-looking pocketknife. Slim and ergonomic, and incredibly light, the Bugout knives were designed for the outdoorsman but are great for EDC too.

The clipped drop-point blade—you can choose between a plain or serrated edge—is made from CPM S30V stainless steel with a Rockwell hardness of 58-60 HRC. It’s 3.24 inches long with a satin finish that looks good when paired with any of the five different types of handles Benchmade offers.

Handle materials—options include Grivory or CF Elite—are lightweight. The entire knife weighs just 1.85 ounces. It’s almost lighter than air.

MSRP: $160.

Boker Damascus Duke

If you’re looking for a showpiece that’s also a great utility knife AND won’t break the bank, Boker has you covered. The Damascus Duke features a 2.44-inch blade forged from 37 layers of steel. The artistic qualities don’t stop with the blade. Etched bolsters add to the beauty of the knife, and the root wood scales provide a classy grip.

But this knife is more than just a pretty girl at the prom. The lockback mechanism will give you confidence to put this piece through its paces. The short length of the blade makes this knife great for detail work or other finite tasks at home or on the road.

MSRP: $64.95.

Kershaw Blur

Designed by Ken Onion, the youngest-ever inductee into the Cutlery Hall of Fame, the Kershaw Blur may be as good of an all-around edged tool as you’ll find in knife shops today.

The recurve drop-point blade can cut cord and small brush while camping, or slice open an over-taped FedEx package and keep rolling along.

The blade is 14C28N stainless steel in a black Cerakote coat for enhanced corrosion resistance and protection. It’s married to an aluminum handle that features Trac-Tec inserts and a reversible pocket clip.

Made in America and tough as nails, the Blur won’t let you down.

MSRP: $107.99

Read More

Best Knife Case Options To Protect Your Investment
Best Pocketknife Brands
How To Close A Pocketknife
5 Best Pocket Knife Sharpeners
Best Japanese Pocketknives
Best Damascus Pocketknives
4 Perfect Pocketknives For Women
Best Tactical Pocketknives

10 All-American Knives

Mike Ableson

-

July 4, 2022

0

On This Independence Day We Here At Blade Want To Celebrate All-American Knives

America is celebrating its 246th birthday today. In all those years the knife has been an integral tool to the growth of the United States, and, as such, we here at Blade want to celebrate it on this beautiful Independence Day.

These are 10 beautiful All-American knives to get you in the holiday spirit.

MTech USA 440 Steel USA Design Pocket Knife

The name may be a mouthful, but the knife is a beaut. MTech has made a spring-assisted folder out of 440 stainless with an aluminum handle. The handle is decorated with an American flag design and the opening text of the Constitution. This drop point has an MSRP of $15.95.

Berg American Flag Themed Bowie Knife

Custom-made to order by knifemaker Dan Berg, this Bowie is 11 inches long and can be made out of 1095 carbon steel or AEBL stainless. The metal is etched with a patriotic star pattern and the handle has a flag pattern made out of Micarta or cast resin. This beautiful knife has an MSRP of $300.

Mega Knife American USA Flag Spring-Assisted Folding Open Pocket Knife

A bright, bold American flag on the handle shines bright on this piece from Mega Knife. The stainless steel blade features a blackwash finish, and the pocket clip lets you bring this knife everywhere. This folder has an MSRP of $19.95

CobraTec Knives Small CTK-1 Cerakote American Flag

This CobraTec double-action OTF knife featured a striking American flag handle made of aluminum alloy married to a 2.75-inch D2 steel blade. You can pick between four different blade styles (drop point, tanto, dagger, Wharncliffe), and all but the Wharncliffe have serrated options as well. It features a nylon sheath, pocket clip, and a glass breaker at the end of the handle. This comes with an MSRP of $149.99.

Modern Artisans 3-Inch Pocket Knife With American Flag Stonework

This 3-inch folder from Modern Artisans has a stunning damascus blade made of a core of VG-10 wrapped in 32 layers of stainless. The brilliant American flag handle is made from lapis lazuli, red coral, and mother of pearl. This knife has an MSRP of $132.99.

Victorinox Super Tinker

From the makers of the famous Swiss Army Knife, Victorinox has made an All-American medium pocket knife that has the option of an American flag design and not just the classic red. It features 14 tools including two blades, three screwdrivers, and scissors. It has an MSRP of just $43.99.

Orklo Knife Custom Handmade Damascus Folding Pocket Knife

The twist damascus pattern steals the show for this model from Orklo Knife. The three-inch, HRC 55-58 blade is connected to a four-inch red, white, and blue handle made of dollar sheet and inlaid with a star mosaic pin. This piece has an MSRP of $69.99

Cabela’s Flag Tanto Blade Folding Knife Two-Pack

Two knives are always better than one, and Cabela’s has an affordable patriotic combo pack. Both knives have blades made of 8Cr13MoV steel. The larger blade is three inches long and partially serrated. The shorter of the two is 2.75-inches long and features a flat edge. The combo has an MSRP of $19.97.

KCCEdge 8-Inch Two-Piece Large American Flag Throwing Knife Set

For something fun, you can go wrong with these throwing knives. These KCCEdge knives feature a top-to-bottom flag design that was embossed printed on the blades. What could be more fun than watching Old Glory fly through the air? These could be yours for the MSRP of $14.

Red Dot Laser Engineering “The Patriot” Folding Knife

Red Dot Laser Engraving, a veteran-owned business, has made a stainless steel folding knife with an American flag engraved on both sides of the blade and an aluminum body. The design won’t wear off so you’ll be able to proudly show it off for decades. The MSRP is $17.76.

ASR Outdoor Patriotic Locking Pocket Knife

Adorned with the head of a bald eagle on the handle and atop the the American flag on the handle, this knife from ASR Outdoor screams American pride. The steel alloy clip point opens with a nail nick, and the whole piece is eight inches in length. It also comes with a collectible display box. The MSRP is $14.99

Best Swiss Army Knife Tools

Mike Ableson

-

June 30, 2022

0

The Swiss Army Knife Is Iconic, And Over The Years It’s Featured Many Different Tools. Most Are Useful, But Some Are Just Plain Odd.

The Swiss Army Knife has become a utilitarian icon. Manufactured by Victorinox, and formerly Wegner, the knife got its name due to American GIs in World War 2 being unable to pronounce the proper German name of the name, the Offiziermesser, which translates to “officer’s knife.”

Traditionally clad in red, the color of the Swiss flag, the knife is a versatile multi-tool filled with different implements ranging from knives and screwdrivers to corkscrews and nail files. Below is a selection of some of the most useful tools in the Swiss Army Knife and some tools that are a bit more unique.

The Original Tools

The first Swiss Army Knife, simply called a Modell 1890, featured four tools. Those four are still a part of many SAK models today and immediately come to mind when you think of the tool.

Spear Point Blade

While a larger Swiss Army Knife may feature multiple blades, every model will feature a spear point. An icon in its own right, the SAK spear point will appear on the largest models all the way down to tiny ones meant for keychains.

Made of stainless steel, the spear point can cut thread just as well as it can cut meat. However, I wouldn’t want to butcher much with one that’s keychain size.

Reamer

The reamer is probably the least-known of the four original tools but is no less important. It is two functions. The first is to drill small holes into wood to give screws a head start. The second is to help with sewing. The hole in the middle of the tool is meant to be used to slide thread through to help give a stable anchor point while sewing materials together.

While this might not be the most necessary tool today at home, it’s incredibly important for a soldier on the march or on the battlefield.

Screwdriver.

Nowadays you can find some Swiss Army Knives with as many as four different screwdrivers inside. They all can tie their lineage to the screwdriver that made it onto the original model. Important for a soldier trying to fix a rifle in battle, important to a homeowner trying to reinstall an outlet cover in the kitchen, the screwdriver is one of the implements that sets the SAK, and other multi tools apart from other types of tools.

Can Opener.

Yet again, a great all-rounder tool with military use in mind. A can opener is a necessary tool for a soldier to have in the field to open rations. While most homes today have either a crank or an electric can opener, the original handheld version still remains in many Swiss Army Knives.

Other Necessary Tools

Some of the larger Swiss Army Knives today have as many as 15 layers and dozens of tools inside of them. As the knives have grown larger, so has the roster of tools within them. These may not be the originals, but they sure are just as useful.

Needle Nose Pliers

Great for prying and pulling things apart, the needle-nose pliers are a standard tool in the larger SAK models. As the knives became more and more associated with outdoorsmen and tradesmen, the tools evolved to meet those demands.

Made of stainless like so many of the other tools, it’s a great pair of pliers, and the fact that they fold away into the knives makes them invaluable when you’re outdoors.

Saws

Over the years the SAK has grown to include multiple types of saws. The main two are a wood saw and a metal saw. The wood saw is a smaller version of a classic handheld saw, great for cutting small pieces of wood or through small, thin brush.

The metal saw features files on both sides, which compare to a standard, flat file. The serrated edge is analogous to a hacksaw. It will cut through metal, but it’ll take a while to do it.

Scissors

What’s better than a pair of scissors? If you’re looking to cut paper or fabric, not much. That’s why scissors are included today on the largest Swiss Army Knife (38 tools) and the smallest (seven tools).

Like the majority of the other tools, it’s made of stainless steel. Of course, they are quite small so it’ll take a minute or two to finish cutting, but when you need scissors no other tool can match up.

Toothpick

Currently a standard tool on the smaller SAK models, the toothpick is great because no one likes having food stuck in their teeth. Unlike most of the other tools in the knives, this one is not made from metal. It’s made from hard plastic and slides out of the body of the knife. However, it is easy to clean and stow back away so while it may seem like a reusable toothpick might not be the most sanitary tool, Victorinox has engineered it in such a way that it is easy to disinfect.

The Outrageous Tools

Over the years there have been plenty of tools in the Swiss Army Knife that range from maybe being a bit overkill to being completely out of left field. Two of these are still available on some SAK models while the other tools are just relics of bygone knives.

Cigar Cutter

The cigar cutter is the most eye-catching tool from the past. Cigar smoking isn’t as popular as it was, but there were once five models of Swiss Army Knives that featured a cigar cutter. It was unique because it was not spring-loaded. It featured a lever that would slice the cigar with a blade like a guillotine.

Toilet Paper Holder Key

That’s not a joke. A limited number of Swiss Army Knives in Europe were made with this incredibly specific tool to open industrial paper towel holders in public/commercial bathrooms.

Pharmaceutical Spatula

You’re reading that right. Some knives feature a pharmaceutical spatula. This tool is meant to stir ointments and creams as well as safely move pills into bottles. It’s as specific as it gets when it comes to tools on a Swiss Army Knife. Well, there might be one tool more specific.

Hoof Cleaner

If you’re a farrier and need to clean out some horse hooves, there’s a tool for you. The small hook features no sharp edge so as to not hurt the horse as you clean out their hoof before putting on a new shoe.

Read More

How To Create A Custom Swiss Army Knife
The Victorinox Swiss Army Knife

BLADE 101: Types Of Kitchen Knives

Mike Ableson

-

June 29, 2022

0

There Are So Many Types Of Kitchen Knives It’s Hard To Know Which Are Necessary. We’ll Set You Straight.

Watch any cooking show or pursue the cutlery section of a kitchen store, it’s easy to wonder why chefs have so many knives. Are they all necessary? Are some there just so they can show off?

Far from it. Each has its place in the kitchen. But before groaning over the cost and space constraints of procuring each and every type of kitchen knife take solace, you don’t need them all.

That’s what this guide is for. We’ll walk you through some of the most important types of kitchen knives and a few of the oddballs. Afterward, you should stand ready to stock your galley with the tools that count.

Types Of Kitchen Knives: The Must-Haves

When it comes to the necessities, these four types of kitchen knives are the ones everyone should own. Whether you buy them individually, or as part of a knife set, these are the ones you absolutely need.

Chef’s Knife

To use a sports analogy, your chef’s knife is your quarterback/point guard/ace pitcher. If you can only have one knife, this is the knife you need to buy. A good chef’s knife should be able to handle almost every task in the kitchen.

Since chef’s knives are usually 8-10 inches long, they are great for slicing meats and cutting produce. The wide, weighty blade is good for crushing aromatics like garlic and ginger. You can choke up on your grip to do more precise, fine knifework although that puts your hand closer to the cutting edge–not ideal. Some use a pinch grip, “pinching” the blade between the tips of the thumb and index finger near the spine just forward of the handle, for precise cuts.

Made from either stainless or carbon steel, the stainless varieties will be easier to maintain at home. The chef’s knife is the ultimate all-rounder, thus why it is without question the most important knife in the kitchen.

Bread Knife

The bread knife, aside from being excellent at cutting bread, is the go-to knife for cutting fragile food items like tomatoes. The serrated blade can get a better bite on thin-skinned produce with a fragile core. Of course, the crunchy exterior of a loaf of bread is no match for it either.

An extremely sharp chef’s can also do these softer tasks, but if it’s dulled it tends to be more destructive than beneficial while cutting. Most bread knives are quite long, but no matter the length, it’s your best option in the kitchen for safely cutting softer foods.

Paring Knife

Rounding out the main trio of types of knives is the paring knife. The nimble little slicer is much shorter than the chef’s knife and is designed for small cuts and precision. Looking to hull a strawberry or thinly slice garlic? Choose the paring knife. Want to devein shrimp or score a steak? Choose the paring knife.

Many paring knives have blades similar in size to pocketknives. This limits its utility. Much as you wouldn’t want to clear brush with a pocketknife, you wouldn’t want to butcher a whole slab of ribs with a paring knife.

A point to consider: a good handle is as important as a quality blade with paring knives. Control is the name of the game, and that comes from the handle.

Steak Knives

Henckels 8-Piece Serrated Steak Knife Set. MSRP: $49.99

While not a kitchen knife in the sense it’s a famous cutter, having a good set of steak knives is incredibly important. Whether you realize it or not, how you slice meat affects its overall taste and enjoyability. A set of blunt-edged knives can reduce the savor of a ribeye to that of a cubesteak.

Steak knives come in both serrated and plain-edge varieties so you won’t necessarily be locked into one style of knife.

Most knife blocks come with steak knives as part of the package, yet there are many quality options available individually. Don’t skimp on these. Six to 10 quality steak knives, made of good high-carbon stainless steel, ensures all your hard work in the kitchen doesn’t go to waste at the table.

Types Of Kitchen Knives: Nice To Haves

Once you have the main four types of kitchen knives, you can start filling out your collection with some specialty pieces. These five are the next group of models to look at buying.

Santoku

The santoku is a Japanese knife designed to handle the tasks of chopping, slicing, and cutting. It’s smaller than a chef’s knife and sometimes features small dimples, or a Granton Edge, on the blade to help shed pieces of food and aid cutting.

The advantage of the knife is its flexibility, moving seamlessly between culinary tasks. Additionally, the generally shorter blade makes it easier to control than the traditional chef’s knife. Also, the santoku’s ample blade safely facilitates a pinch grip for those who use this particular technique.

When it comes to types of kitchen knives, this one resides right on the line of must and nice to have. If you like to learn more, we have a great breakdown of some of the best Santoku knives.

Boning Knife

As its name suggests, a boning knife is meant for one task: deboning meats. Whether it’s butchering a chicken thigh or getting bone out of a pork chop, the boning knife is up for the task. A good boning knife will be thin, sharp, and, most importantly, flexible so it can bend around bones and get into crevices to free the meat.

For most this knife isn’t an everyday necessity. However, if you happen to buy sides of beef or process wild game, you do well to have one at your beck and call.

Meat Cleaver

Zhen VG-10 67-Layer Damascus Large Cleaver, 8-Inch. MSRP: $135

If the chef’s knife is the quarterback, the meat cleaver is the massive, brawny linebacker. The cleaver features a thick, heavy blade so it can chop right through the breastplate of a chicken or break down a whole cow.

Super fun and satisfying to use, the cleaver is great if you’re looking to butcher cuts of meat at home. Furthermore, if you deal with frozen foods–say a tube of breakfast sausage–it really lightens the work.

All that said, not everyone requires a meat cleaver. The exceptions again are folk who buy partially butchered meat or hunters with a freezer full of wild game. On the other hand, you might find if you add one to your collection it could turn out more versatile than expected.

By the way, we have an excellent piece about the best meat cleavers available today.

Carving Knife

A classy kitchen tool, the carving knife can be a showpiece brought out to carve the Thanksgiving turkey or the Christmas ham right on the table. Other than that, it’s pretty one-dimensional.

Many times carving knives come in sets complete with a matching carving fork to keep what’s being carved in place. Don’t confuse the carving knife with its close cousin the slicing knife. The former has a point, the latter is blunted and longer. Its whole jam is to slice girthier cuts of meat uniformly.

Unless you serve a slew of prime rib, you want a carver. The tip makes it more useful at the table, particularly on fowl. Try getting a turkey thigh off with a slicer. Even if the knife’s sporadically used, spend the money on a quality blade made of steel that holds an edge. You want to carve during the holidays, not sharpen.

Bench Scraper

The bench scraper is a great multi-purpose tool, particularly if you bake. It can precisely cut through doughs and it can quickly help clean a messy, dusty workspace. Nothing corrals rogue flour as quickly as a bench scraper. But if you prefer buying your baked goods, you can take a pass.

Types Of Kitchen Knives: The Specialist

These types are knives are great at doing one particular task and not much more. Unless you really love doing these things in the kitchen, you probably won’t need these. But they are all distinctive blades in their own way.

Mezzaluna

You rock this back and forth to chop herbs and other soft, mostly leafy, greens. While it may sound like the name of an opera, this knife only sings one tune.

Tomato Knife

Do you really, really, really like tomatoes? Do you wring your hands over making sure you perfectly cube a tomato for a salad or make precise slices for a BLT? Then this is the knife for you. Otherwise, your bread knife should work just fine. By the way, since everyone is dying to know, the forked tip aids in peeling tomatoes without cutting the pulp.

Salmon Knife

Mercer Culinary 10.3-inch Salmon Slice. MSRP: $26.67

If you’re looking to skin or slice salmon, or most other types of fish, or if you want to make sushi at home, look no further than the salmon knife. Long, thin and flexible, it’s great at cutting through the fragile flesh of fish.

Cimeter

This massive meat-cutting knife is great if you want to feel like a marauding pirate or just want a big butcher’s knife specifically to cut large pieces of meat. A chef’s knife or carving knife would also work here.

Oyster Shucker

OXO Good Grips Oyster Knife. MSRP: $10.99

This rounded blade is necessary if you want to open and eat oysters and not your thumb. If you’re not a fan of raw shellfish, there isn’t a reason to have this knife.

Mandoline

The mandoline is great at two things: cutting produce into thin slices and removing a knuckle from your fingers. If you get one of these always remember to use the guard. Otherwise, take your time with a paring knife to cut your veggies thin.

Cheese Knife

Different types of cheese require different types of cheese knives. The folks at Epicurious have a great video showing the correct way to cut dozens of different cheeses. I’ll stick with slices or just futzing with a butter knife.

Confectioner’s Knife

Do you like cake? Of course you do. Do you want a knife specifically for cutting cake? Maybe you do, and if so, this is the type of knife you would want to use.

Read More

5 Best Serbian Chef’s Knives
Best Japanese Kitchen Knives Worth A Look
5 Best Meat Cleaver Options
5 Best Santoku Knife Options
The Beauty Of Handmade Kitchen Knives
Best Kitchen Knife Set To Upgrade Your Galley
5 Of The Best Chef’s Knives Available Today

5 Best Meat Cleaver Options [2022]

Mike Ableson

-

June 27, 2022

0

The Meat Cleaver Is The Heavyweight Of Kitchen Tools And Can Cut Things As Hard As Bone. These Five Are Among Some Of Today’s Top Models.

Today we’re talking cleavers, specifically meat cleavers. Industry folks prefer the shorter form when referring to the cutting implement, but we’re going with the longer, common man vernacular for this piece.

Why? Because cleaver abound nowadays, but we’re specifically talking about the type meant to cut meat. And with the way folks find stuff online, going long is likely to get the right person to the right information. Sorry if that bends any noses out of place.

What Is A Cleaver?

The cleaver is a fascinating tool that has existed in some form for millennia. Tools described as cleavers date as far back as the Acheulean period more than 1.5 million years ago, and probably date back even further. It’s a stout, heavy piece that differs from the standard kitchen knife in numerous ways.

The most obvious difference is the shape. A cleaver doesn’t taper to a point but is usually rectangular in shape. It may have a curve along the spine, but the basic shape of any cleaver will be a rectangle.

Many cleavers, and almost every one on our list, have a large hole in the corner opposite the handle. This is because many butchers prefer to hang their cleavers on a hook rather than leave them on a flat surface to avoid potentially damaging the blade.

Five Top Cleavers Available Today

The best meat cleavers all have one thing in common: toughness. They’re all able to stand up to the abuse of the job. These five are among the top cleavers available today at a variety of price points.

Wusthof Classic 6-Inch Cleaver

When it comes to kitchen knives there are few companies with more history than Wusthof, and they have once again made a leader in the field with their Classic 6-inch Cleaver. Forged in Germany, the Classic looks like the archetype of what you expect a cleaver to be.

The blade is 6.3 inches long and 2.8 inches wide, which allows you to do things like crush garlic and ginger or use it like a bench scraper to scoop up ingredients. It comes with a triple-riveted handle that is easy to grip and feels good in your hand.

It’s a bit pricey, with an MSRP of $300, but this is a cleaver that should last you years.

Messermeister Four Seasons Heavy Cleaver

Messermeister Four Seasons Heavy Meat Cleaver, 6-Inch

If you’re looking for a quality cleaver at an affordable price, Messermeister has you covered. The Four Seasons (no connection to the hotel chain) is stamped from a single piece of 1.4116 stainless steel with a 56-57 HRC and features a molded polypropylene handle.

The fact that it is stamped, rather than forged, keeps the costs down tremendously, and it comes in two versions: a 6-inch and a 7-inch. It’s a good tool. It might not have the fanciest steel or hand-carved wood handle, but if you’re looking for a tough cleaver at a fair price, this is the one for you.

The MSRP of the 6-inch is $47.95, and the 7-inch costs $59.95

Zhen VG-10 67-Layer Damascus Large Cleaver, 8-Inch

This one is beautiful. The Damascus Large Cleaver from Zhen Premium Knives is visually stunning and one heck of a cutter. The blade was made with VG-10 stainless steel (60-62 HRC) and features a Pakkawood handle.

The damascus pattern waves and curls across the blade to give it a dynamic, kinetic energy. That’s not even discussing the caliber of the cleaver, which is professional grade and comes with a lifetime warranty against defects.

Four inches wide, this cleaver is large in terms of overall area and is a phenomenal multi-use tool in the kitchen. At an MSRP of just $135, it’s actually a bargain for a professional-quality model of this caliber.

Dalstrong Obliterator Cleaver 9-Inch With Stand

Dalstrong Obliterator Meat Cleaver 9-Inch

From Dalstrong’s Gladiator series comes the Obliterator, a massive cleaver built to withstand anything you can throw at it in the kitchen. The massive blade is made from heat-treated 7Cr17MoV steel with a 60 HRC. It weighs 2.9 pounds and is .236-inch thick. It truly lives up to its name.

The handle is made of thick G-10, which is great to withstand the forces of cutting up a rack of ribs or spatchcocking a turkey.

The Obliterator also comes with an acacia wood stand so you can proudly show off your chopper. With an MSRP of $120, the Obliterator won’t obliterate your wallet.

Henckels Classic 6-Inch Cleaver

Forged from German stainless steel, the Henckels Classic is a quintessential cleaver. Not as girthy as the Obliterator, the Classic is well constructed and designed to be used every day. The blade isn’t as hard as most of the others on this list, with a 55-58 HRC, but this is still an excellent tool.

The satin-finished blade is sharpened and honed to stay sharper longer, and the full-tang, triple-riveted handle gives the cleaver balance in your hand. You’ll feel confident using this one each and every time

It’s a lightweight piece, at just around 12 ounces, and is about 10.5 inches in overall length. MSRP: $64.99.

Read More

5 Best Serbian Chef’s Knives
Best Japanese Kitchen Knives Worth A Look
BLADE 101: Types Of Kitchen Knives
5 Best Santoku Knife Options
The Beauty Of Handmade Kitchen Knives
Best Kitchen Knife Set To Upgrade Your Galley
5 Of The Best Chef’s Knives Available Today

5 Best Pocket Knife Sharpener Options [2022]

Mike Ableson

-

June 15, 2022

1

Sometimes You Need A Sharpener On The Go. These Five Pocket Knife Sharpeners Are Everything You Could Want In A Mobile Sharpener.

Many knife sharpeners are designed exclusively for the kitchen. Whether handheld or electric, they’re made to be used on a countertop in the kitchen or in the home. But what about when you’re out and about and need to sharpen a knife.

Maybe your EDC took a beating while you were cutting up boxes as you cleaned your job site. Maybe your rough-and-tumble Bowie knife needs a little love after hacking through some brush while hiking.

That’s where pocket knife sharpeners come in.

Small and easy to use, the best pocket knife sharpeners can fit anywhere and go anywhere. These are five that we’ve found can handle the tough task of sharpening your knives while also easily hiding away when not in use.

Lansky Quadsharp Knife Sharpener

What’s better than a knife sharpener with one sharpening option? How about a sharpener with five ways to sharpen. You read that right — five.

The Lansky Quadsharp is a quintessential pocket knife sharpener. It is easily held in the palm of your hand, and its bright blue color helps it stand out if its buried in your work bag or in your hunting equipment.

The Quadsharp features four angled carbide slots to pull your knife through and a ceramic benchstone for more routine maintenance and honing. The slots each have a different angle (17, 20, 25, and 30 degrees) so you’ll be able to get the right angle for each of your knives.

The carbide slots are meant to revive dull and damaged blades. The 800-grit ceramic benchstone is meant for more regular use and can sharpen both straight edge and serrated knives. The slots are only good for straight-edged blades. The ceramic is harder than steel so it will never wear out and can keep your knives sharp for decades to come.

With an MSRP of $23.99, the Quadsharp swings way above its weight thanks to its small size, durability, and versatility.

Smith’s Pocket Pal X2 Sharpener & Outdoors Tool

Smith’s has made a product that not only sharpens but does a whole bunch more. The Pocket Pal X2 features a coarse carbide angled sharpening slot and a fine 1000-grit ceramic sharpening slot. It also features a fold-out diamond honing rod that is perfect for sharpening serrated knives, single-bevel knives, and gut hooks.

The Pocket Pal X2 is so much more than just a sharpener. It comes with a compass and a built-in LED flashlight. There’s also a high-pitched signal whistle so you can call for help if in distress. And, what I think is the coolest part of the Pocket Pal X2, is the built-in fire starter. Use it by pulling it through the coarse sharpener to make a spark.

You can see all of the tool’s features in action in this video below.

Coming it at an MSRP of $17.99, the Pocket Pal X2 is a great pocket knife sharpener and all-around tool if you’re planning to do anything outdoors or to just keep in the car in case of an emergency.

AccuSharp Knife And Tool Sharpener

AccuSharp takes the concept of “grab and go” to a whole new level with their Knife and Tool Sharpener. Rather than pulling the knife through or across the sharpener, you pull the sharpener across the knife.

By using tungsten carbide blades, and a finger guard so you don’t slice your hand, AccuSharp has made a tool that subverts what you think a knife sharpener should look like. You can see how the tool works in AccuSharp’s own video below.

The most affordable sharpener on this list, with an MSRP of $10.99, AccuSharp’s Knife and Tool Sharpener can sharpen your kitchen knives, your EDC, and even the axe you keep in the shed.

Victorinox Dual Knife Sharpener

Shaped like a pen, the Victorinox Dual Knife Sharpener can sharpen and hone knives in a sleek, elegant package that can easily tuck away in a pocket or clip onto your belt line.

Opening one end reveals an angled pair of ceramic discs to pull across your blade to sharpen it. On the other end, there is a honing stone so you can polish and maintain the edge of your knives.

You can see how nimble and easy to use the sharpener is by watching this quick video below.

The sharpener is so compact and light, coming in at just 1.4 ounces in weight, that there’s no place it can’t go. From the same company that makes the iconic Swiss Army Knife, you can trust that the Dual Knife Sharpener, with an MSRP of $19, will be sharpening your knives for years to come.

WorkSharp Guided Field Sharpener

From one of the top companies for all things knives, comes a sharpener that is made for you to take into the field, keep in the shop, or use at home. This sharpener from WorkSharp can sharpen straight-edge knives, serrated knives, and fish hooks.

Utilizing five stages of sharpening and honing, the Guided Field Sharpener is as dynamic as they come. Features include 20-degree angle guides of 320 and 600-grit diamond to sharpen your knives and the pair of a fine ceramic rod and leather strop to polish and hone your edges.

You can even remove the diamond sharpening plates to get access to the storage cavity and broadhead wrench inside of the device. There’s also a small hole in the casing so you can attach the sharpener to a lanyard or strap.

WorkSharp made this in-depth video showing off all the sharpener’s features and how to sharpen different blades with it.

With an MSRP of $34.95, you are getting an absolute steal of a sharpener. Packed with features, and tough enough to last for years, WorkSharp once again has made a sharpener that stands out from the pack.

Editor’s Note: This article was written by Mike Ableson.

Read More

5 Best Electric Knife Sharpeners
How To Use A Knife Sharpener
How To Use A Whetstone
Best Honing Rods: A Complete Buyer’s Guide
5 Best Knife Sharpeners
3 Best Sharpening Stones

5 Best Electric Knife Sharpeners [2022]

Mike Ableson

-

June 13, 2022

0

Whether It’s An Inexpensive Model Or One The Chefs Use, There’s An Electric Knife Sharpener Out There For You.

There is no one-size-fits-all for electric knife sharpeners. Some specialize in sharpening certain steels or styles of knives. Some have multiple stages, and others are a basic, affordable option for a less discerning home cook. And some are made for pocket knives rather than kitchen knives.

No matter your desire and needs, there is a sharpener out there for you. We’ve scoured the crowded marketplace to pick out five electric knife sharpeners we think will check the important boxes for you today and for years to come.

Chef’s Choice Model Trizor 15XV 3-Stage Professional Electric Knife Sharpener, Platinum

Our list starts with what is, arguably, the baddest sharpener on the block. Highly-rated, and with a price to match, this sharpener from Chef’s Choice is called professional for a reason. With three different stages (sharpening, honing, and polishing), the device truly can do it all and revive your knives.

The sharpener is engineered to the point of ridiculousness. The sharpening stage features proprietary diamond abrasives, and the polishing stage features patented stropping disks to give your knives a pristine finish. It can even convert a traditional 20-degree edge to a finer 15-degree edge.

If there is a knock on the machine, it’s it isn’t rated to sharpen ceramic knives or scissors. Everything from a chef’s knife to pocket knives and yes, even serrated knives, can be brought back to life using the Trizor 15XV.

In a test of nine different electric knife sharpeners, the 15XV was named the best by America’s Test Kitchen. You can take a look at their methodology and how they determined the winner below.

The hefty MSRP of $179.99 is eye-popping to start, but there is no other sharpener like this on the market today.

Presto EverSharp

Maybe a three-stage, pro-level sharpener isn’t what you need, and you’d prefer something a bit more affordable. I’m right there with you. That’s where the Presto EverSharp comes in.

The EverSharp uses Sapphirite sharpening wheels — a synthetic material almost as hard as diamond — to sharpen your blades to a razor’s edge. The EverSharp comes with two stages, one for sharpening and the other for honing & polishing. Each stage features internal guides so your knife always is at the perfect angle every time you pull it through. There’s two slots on each stage, one for each side of the blade.

It’s so easy to use you could probably do it with your eyes closed (but please keep them open so you don’t slice off a finger). The one drawback of the sharpener is it can’t sharpen serrated blades.

Durable and affordable with an MSRP of $47.99, the EverSharp provides great bang for your buck.

Wüsthof Easy Edge

From one of the legendary makers of kitchen knives, Wüsthof’s electric sharpener is robust and easy to use.

Unlike the previous sharpeners on this list, the Easy Edge is a belt-drive sharpener. No stones or grinding wheels in this one. The machine can sharpen, hone, and shape your straight-edge knives. It does this by varying the speed of its sharpening belt.

While the device can’t sharpen serrated blades it can sharpen Asian-style knives, which typically are ground to a different angle than traditional German-style knives.

Made of professional quality materials, and coming in with an MSRP of $160, the Easy Edge is worth the price and can replace your whetstones, honing steels, and many other pieces of knife maintenance equipment.

WorkSharp Combo Knife Sharpener

Unlike the other sharpeners on this list, which are made for kitchen knives, this sharpener from WorkSharp is made for pocket and EDC knives.

Like the Wusthof sharpener, this one uses an abrasive belt to sharpen your knives and uses internal guides to guarantee that your knives are at the perfect angle every time.

There’s also a ceramic honing rod built directly into the machine to help you polish and finish your flat-edge knives. The rod is also perfect for sharpening knives with small or large serrations.

It’s also relatively small. Some of these sharpeners are a bit bulky; WorkSharp has made a nimble sharpener that won’t take up much space on your workbench. You’ll love using this every day, and it’ll make your knives like new. At an MSRP of $59.95, it’s worth the price for the type of product it is.

Smith Essentials Compact Electric Knife Sharpener

compact knife sharpener — Smith Essentials Compact Electric Knife Sharpener

If you’re looking for an electric knife sharpener on a budget, or simply don’t need the heft of professional machines, Smith has you covered. Their compact sharpener features both electric and manual elements for the low MSRP of $29.99.

The electric part of the machine features a synthetic sharpening wheel and built-in guides to keep your knives at the best angle. The ceramic rods on the manual side are there to hone and finish your blades.

It can only be used on straight-edge Euro/American style knives though so you would need some other sharpening implement if you have serrated knives at home. However, for a sharpener under $30, you may not be able find much more out there today.

Read More

Best Honing Rods: A Complete Buyer’s Guide
How To Use A Knife Sharpener
How To Use A Whetstone
5 Best Electric Knife Sharpeners
5 Best Pocket Knife Sharpener Options
3 Best Sharpening Stones
5 Best Knife Sharpeners